Next Best Thing?

I never get published anymore. Perhaps it's because I never submit my work???!!! But hey, I can still make it in a magazine since I'm buddies with bigger, more famous scrapbookers . . . This is Gretchen's layout, featured in the latest issue of Memory Makers Magazine. I'm in a couple of these pics (not really happy with my hair that week but oh well!). So I guess I can still say I was published this fall???!!! LOL!

My New Position

I don't guess I've shared my new position with my blog readers. I am now the Caravan Director in our Children's Ministries at church. Caravan is a Christian scouting program in the Nazarene church. (Along the same lines as Awanas in the Baptist denomination). It takes a while to get used to the program with all the badges and requirements, but I'm slowly immersing myself into it. Just takes some time to learn all of the jargon and processes. I haven't been totally snowed under with it yet, but I've been busy with little details here and there. It's a good focus for me since Clayton isn't at home anymore! I'm sure it will take me all year to get it organized like I want it, and that means I'll have to do it next year so I can use all my planning from this year! Sneaky pastors at church, they probably knew that all along when they asked me!

Something Special

When I started my "She" album, I really wanted to celebrate myself and my uniqueness. But a lot of the layouts I've done for that album have been more than a little melancholy at times. But after I sang at an event last week and after a subsequent conversation with Brian, I decided to do a purely boastful page about myself!!! At this particular event last week, I literally brought the house down (bad sound system and all!). The Holy Spirit was all over that room, and it seemed there wasn't a dry eye in the house. And the thing is, it seems to be like that each time I sing! When I'm in front of people, I feel a natural relaxing of the crowd or something--I can't even explain it, but I definitely feel and see it! And when I really think about it, it's absolutely amazing that it happens each time I sing--it would be a blessing if it just happened once in a lifetime!

Journaling: When she sings, people listen . . . really, truly listen. God uses her voice to soften hearts and penetrate even the most stubborn of spirits. She is humbled by this gift He has blessed her with, and proudly shares it with all those around her.

Progress!

We have a star student on our hands! Clayton got to lay down with the rest of the class (instead of going to therapy first) and he got to listen to his headphones while he laid down--it seemed to make the difference! Ms. Marcia said that he just laid on his cot and sang away to her while she rubbed his face (yes, even she is starting to spoil him!). He didn't go to sleep, and I really didn't expect him to, but I'm so glad he was able to at least lay down and relax with everyone. Baby steps, baby steps!

Beautiful Days

Yesterday and today have been absolutely gorgeous around here! I spent yesterday running errands I didn't really have just to be able to ride around with the windows down and sunroof open! It's a welcome change after all these leftover hurricanes raining on us . . .

Met with Clayton's teachers and therapists yesterday and it went well. I just kept stressing that he participates in everything at home and at church and there is no reason for him to be left out or set apart at school. At least present the opportunity, and let him decide if he wants to do it or not. I think after I said all this about ten different ways that it was finally sinking in for the teachers. He's still not liking it when I leave him, but I feel like the teachers are at least trying more and putting in the extra effort it takes. He has been talking more about school these last couple of days, so maybe he really, really wants to go, he just wants his Momma there to experience it too!! :)

Who Knew?

Who knew preschool could be so stressful? I mean, isn't this supposed to be new, exciting and fun??? Clayton has little spurts of fun throughout the day, but I'm told he has a major meltdown each time a therapist leaves him in the classroom or even mentions going back to the classroom. The same meltdown I see when I leave him in the morning--it is horrible! Our meeting with the teachers is Monday and I basically told the director if it isn't working after that, then we're outta there. There is absolutely no sense in him continuing to attend if they don't change their approach to him. I'm pretty sure they think that since his body doesn't work that he is a nothing in the thinking area as well. So not true!! And they just aren't getting the fact that he wants to try everything and be a part of the whole classroom, not just the two or three things that they think he should stick to. UGH. The whole situation has just about given me an ulcer! In fact, he had a haircut scheduled for today and I decided to let him stay home the whole day instead of just being gone a couple of hours. Totally wimpy of me, but I just thought I'd save him the trouble of getting all worked up this morning!!!!!

Latest Layouts

I haven't been able to get the mojo going lately, but I thought I'd share my latest layouts anyway. "Twins" was a page that's been a long time in coming. I'm to the point now where I really want to pour myself into some of these NICU pics and celebrate our blessings in spite of the boys' early birth. I've done a lot with Clayton's pics (won't be sharing them here because they were some of the first scrapbook pages I did and they aren't that pretty compared to some of my pages now!). I'm thinking I'm ready to dive into Shawn's pics. We'll see how it goes . . .

Journaling for "Twins:" During a routine ultrasound on April 22, 2003, Brian and I discovered we would be having twins. DOUBLY BLESSED! We drove around town showing off the pictures in order to share the news. What a miracle of life you both are--growing and living together from the very beginning! Shawn entered our world at 1:42 am weighing 1 lb. 12 oz. and Clayton came at 1:46 am weighing 1 lb. 8 oz. Both 12 inches long--both MIRACLES!

Had to do this next page to record some more of Clayton speak. "Babin' soup" is what he calls a bathing suit!

These pics were on the blog, and this is yet another quote from Clayton. He's constantly asking these days if we need his help!

And last but not least, another blog entry set to scrapbook paper. To read the journaling go here.

I'm sure you've noticed a trend with my layouts. Seems like most originate from the blog. Definitely a blog bonus--journaling's done, story's told, just print the words, print the pics, and scrapbook!

Preschool Woes

I'll try to keep this post to the short version of this story, but I'm not sure if it's possible. During the first week of Clayton's school, I saw little things that I didn't like and instead of barking more orders at the teachers (I was already giving directions constantly), I decided to show them what Clayton could do. Brian had him sit in the classroom chair, we both let him stand and "cook" at the play kitchen, we put him on the floor with the other kids, and I even put him on the tricycle outside to show them how cool he thought that was. When I asked the teacher on Thursday if they had let him sit in the chair yet, she said no. And I knew they weren't taking him out of his chair outside because that's when I come to pick him up. I was trying to give them the benefit of the doubt since I was a teacher and I know it's hard to be everywhere all the time, but when I showed up last Monday during inside recess and he was literally sitting all alone while everyone else played and visited, I LOST IT! He immediately started crying when he saw me and it was all I could do to get out of there without boo-hooing all over the teachers. I was so emotional I couldn't even talk to them about it. And by the time I got to the front desk, I was sobbing. The receptionist asked if I was alright, and of course I said no!!!! Then Clayton started crying with me! I told her my concerns and she told me definitely talk to the director about it. So the next morning I met with the director and I even got her crying by the end of the meeting! She basically told me the teachers were scared they would hurt him or one of the other kids would hurt him. These two particular teachers haven't had a child this medically involved in their classroom, so they were a little nervous. So we came up with some solutions: therapists doing therapy in the classroom showing them his capabilities, assigning another student as a "helper," having another aid come in more often, and some other little things. Friday was the first day they got him more involved and it was soooo much better. He didn't want to leave when I came to pick him up and he even laid down on his cot for about 20 minutes during naptime (he laid down without me!!!!)!! I just hope it continues to get better--he cried and screamed when I left him this morning, but I'm hoping he's all smiles when I pick him up. Maybe his therapists helped him have a good day.

I'm just frustrated beyond belief. I want him to have as normal a life as possible, but he can't do that without help. And as his parents, we are willing to break our backs to help him try any experience. But I wanted him to gain some type of independence from us. But no one else is going to bend over backwards to haul him around the playground or hold him all day long when they have a classroom full of kids. His school is making changes, and I'm thinking with time they will work. Definitely as he gets used to the routine. But I don't see the public schools being this accomodating and eager to please--homeschooling never looked so good . . .

Tag, You're It!

This week has flown by and been quite busy with lots of details that I'll have to go into later, but for now I've been tagged about ten times in the last week by my blogging friends, and if I don't want to get flogged, I better snap to it! The first tag is probably the best--Cheri and Stacy both put me on their list of top blogs they love to read. Can you see me blushing??

Here are the rules:

(1) The winner can put the logo on their blog.

(2) Link the person you received your award from.

(3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

(4) Put links of those on yours.

(5) Leave a message on the blogs you’ve nominated

And here's a few blogs that I never miss:

Patti: took her long enough to start a blog, but now that she's joined the darkside, she's a definite pro--always entertaining, great photos and great scrapbooking projects.

Kelli: she's always looking at the bright and quirky side of life.

Nicole: I never get tired of photos of my nieces and nephews!

Pioneer Woman: this lady is full of wit and endless humor--love her photos and reading about ranch life.

I was also tagged by several people for this one (I actually think I've done it before recently but I can't remember):

The rules? answer each question, and tag 4 (or more) friends.Leave a comment on friends' blogs letting them know that they've been tagged. Have fun!

A= Attached or Single: ATTACHED

B= Best Friend: MOM

C= Cake or Pie: CAKE

D= Day of Choice: MONDAY

E= Essential Item: MY CELL PHONE

F= Flavor of Icecream: CHOCOLATE

G= Gummy Bears or Worms: GUMMY BEARS

H= Hometown: NOT ADVERTISING WHERE I LIVE LOL

I= Indulgence: CHOCOLATE

J= January or July: JULY FOR SURE

K= Kids: SHAWN AND CLAYTON

L= Last movie I saw at a theater: CAN'T REMEMBER

M= Musician: SARA EVANS

N= Number of Siblings: 1

O= Oranges or Apples: APPLES

P= Phobias or Fears: LOTS OF THEM

Q= Quote: WRITE IT ON YOUR HEART THAT EVERY DAY IS THE BEST DAY OF THE YEAR

R= Reason to Smile: CLAYTON

S= Season: FALL

T= Tag: STOP THE MADNESS!!!

U= Unknown fact: ??

V= vegetarian or oppressor of Animals: WHAT LIBERAL WROTE THIS? LOL

W= Worst habit: REALLY IT'S A CHARACTER TRAIT, BUT TEMPER

X= Xray or Ultrasound: ??

Y= Your favorite food: MEXICAN

Z= Zodiac sign: GEMINI

I suppose that puts me back into good standing with the blogging world so I can now sleep soundly tonight! Have a good Friday everyone!